Celebrating the centennial of women in flight

On Sunday, Dec. 5, Renton Municipal Airport (RNT), south of Seattle, was calling itself “the most woman-friendly airport in the world” as 171 women took flight to celebrate the Centennial of Women Pilots.

As part of the celebrations, pilots around the world are attempting to introduce a record number of girls and women to flying during the year of centennial.

The event at RNT was organized by Karlene Petitt, an airline pilot from Seattle and the Boeing Employees Flying Association. Approximately a dozen pilots, and many more ground crew, both women and men, donated their time. Aircraft ranged from floatplanes and helicopters to Cessnas and Cirrus. The women who flew ranged from little girls to grandmothers, according to organizers, who note that each received a certificate of participation, and several expressed interest in getting their pilot’s licenses.